Bengaluru Instrumental Rock Band Stuck In November Launch New EP

Bengaluru instrumental rock band Stuck In November. Photo: courtesy of the artist

Drummer Mayur Nanda admits that his instrumental rock band Stuck In November “never got the chance to get its feet off the ground.” The band came together in 2010 and released a post-rock leaning EP called The Sky Is Watching in 2012, but went on a hiatus after guitarist Nihal Anand left the country for studies, only to return in 2014.

Even then, Anand says the past two years “have been start-stop as well,” with lineup changes that now makes them a trio, completed by bassist Nihaal Joseph. The guitarist adds, “We had to start over as a three-piece last October. And with each change our sound changed too, ending with this current form of Stuck In November. So I guess we feel like we’re six months old at this point, but still not, in a way.” Nanda says that spending time away from the band led the members to pursue different musical styles, ranging from electronic to math rock.

Album art for ‘First Slice of Cake’ EP by Mayur Nanda

The result is their second EP, First Slice of Cake, comprising songs such as “Strongs,” “Full Power” and “Polyrhythmic Synth Jazz Simulation” that sound light-headed and loaded with everywhere-at-once intricacies. Although Nanda feels the term math rock doesn’t adequately describe Stuck In November, he adds, “There’s lots of things going on at most given moments, so it might sound a beautiful mess to most first timers.”

While some of the songs were worked on by former guitarist Kushal Joseph Neil, the EP and the band’s live act has now been reworked to fit a three-piece sound. Nanda adds, “We’re doing what we can to still have Stuck In November sounding like a six-piece band. We’ve been working twice as hard to push ourselves and occupy this empty space. Making more loops, buying more guitar pedals, and hitting more orange buttons. The result is truly astounding, if I do say so myself.”

Stuck In November, who last performed in March 2015 in Bengaluru, will launch their EP at club venue The Humming Tree on March 12th, with a specially-crafted experience. Nanda says, “We’re doing what we can to put on a spectacular show of light and sound and three very still people.” In addition to playing material off First Slice of Cake, the band will include newly written and reworked older songs in their set. The drummer adds, “As awesome as the EP is, the newer material is pretty bonkers.”